X-ray device

ABSTRACT

X-Ray equipment, that as well as having a controlled current converter, a capacitor bank, an inverter, a supply source, and a high voltage transformer, has inlet voltage evaluation equipment that activates relays of the connection points of an auxiliary supply transformer so that it is not necessary to manually carry out any change in the supply connections depending on the supply voltage. Furthermore it is possible to carry out the charging of the capacitors in a programmed manner, and the charging voltage of the capacitor bank is fixed and independent of the supply voltage, the equipment being able to operate automatically at a voltage between 90 and 264 volts.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Applicants claim priority under 35 U.S.C. §365 of PCT/ES2003/000069filed on Feb. 7, 2003. The international application under PCT article21(2) was not published in English.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The subject of this invention is X-ray equipment, among that used forthe analysis and diagnosis of illnesses in medicine.

The subject of this invention is not only the equipment itself, but alsothe totality of elements that it features with the purpose of providingit with the characteristics that have been described in the first claim.

This invention is characterized by the possibility that it offers ofbeing able to use the equipment independently of the supply voltage, itbeing unnecessary to make any structural change, since the machineautomatically detects the input voltage and acts so that the actualequipment and the rest of the elements or auxiliary apparatus connectedto the apparatus can work properly without it being necessary to makeany change in the connection of the equipment supply.

The present invention is also characterized by the possibility of actingon the manner and conditions in which the supply of input current iscarried out.

Therefore, the present invention is encompassed within the field ofequipment used in radiography.

Until the present time equipment used in radiography has the drawback ofoperating at different supply voltages, especially as regards auxiliaryequipment connected to it, such as, for example, collimators, ionisationchambers, brakes etc. This equipment is supplied using transformers orautotransformers with a series of selectable outlets, that, depending onthe input voltage, some or others are selected. This obliges a manualchange to be made at the moment of setting-up, depending on the inputvoltage. An action that is only carried out on connecting the equipmentto the supply if the supply voltage is not correct it can damage saidequipment not connected to the appropriate supply voltage.

On the other hand, it also happens that in certain installations,depending on the quality of the electrical supply, it can happen that adip in the supply from the network takes place, due to the demand of theX-ray equipment, because of which the use of said apparatus becomesincompatible with the supply that there is in the area.

It also occurs that some X-ray equipment is not equipped with thenecessary electronics for its operation at voltages different to thosefor which it has been designed.

Therefore the purpose of the present invention is that of developingX-ray equipment that allows its use independently of the supply voltageand frequency, where it is not necessary to carry out any change-over orselection action of the appropriate outlet of the auto-transformer forthe supply of auxiliary equipment, depending on the supply voltage ofthe equipment, and where, furthermore, with the purpose of avoiding thedip in the network supply, it be possible to program the current so thatit be adapted to the characteristics of the service.

SUMMARY

The proposed invention of X-ray equipment allows radiography activitiesto be carried out independently of the input voltage and frequency,being valid for a range of 90 to 264 V of alternating current, as wellas for 50 or 60 Hz.

The equipment has a Buck-boost type controlled converter, connected to abank of capacitors, which are charged at a fixed voltage, independentlyof the supply voltage. At the outlet of the bank of capacitors acontrolled inverter is placed, in whose outlet a step-up transformer,which is connected directly with the X-ray tube, is placed.

The converter allows the charging of the bank of capacitors to becarried out in a controlled manner, by means of an input currentprogrammer, which avoids dips in the networks in areas that are lessinterconnected or directly supplied through independent supply sets.Furthermore, and thanks to the fact of allowing the charging of the bankof capacitors to be carried out in a controlled manner, the overload ofthe network supply connection is avoided, both in the actual cable andin the socket.

Furthermore, the equipment has a network voltage control unit, governedby means of a microprocessor, which carries out both evaluation of theinput voltage and determined actions, which for a given supply voltageactivates solid state relays corresponding to the correct supply inputof the auto-transformer, with the purpose of obtaining the most suitablesupply for the different auxiliary equipment, such as brakes,collimators, or ionisation chambers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To supplement the description that made herein, and with the aim ofleading to a better understanding of its characteristics, thisspecification is accompanied by a set of drawings in whose figures, inan illustrative and non-limiting way, the most significant details ofthe invention have been represented.

FIG. 1. Shows a representation of the different blocks that form theX-ray equipment that is the subject of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In view of the figures mentioned a method of preferable embodiment ofthe invention is described below, as well as an explanation of thedrawings.

In FIG. 1 we can see that the supply (1) of the equipment comes both toan AC-DC universal voltage source (8), as well as to a controlledcurrent converter (2), and to input voltage control equipment (9).

This equipment (9) is that in charge with evaluating the input voltage,and based on this latter, of activating relays (10) that can be normalor solid state. Said relays (10) are the different input connections foran auxiliary transformer (12) with the purpose that the auxiliaryequipment, such as buckies (13), brakes (14), collimators (15) andionisation chambers (16) are supplied at the proper voltage.

The X-ray equipment has a controlled current (2) converter, on which aninput current programmer (3) acts, so that the charging of the bank ofcapacitors (4) can be programmed, fairly rapidly, with the purpose ofavoiding a dip in the distribution network, due to lack of generation;and also that the overload of the connection point to the supply networkis avoided.

The controlled current converter (2) allows the bank of capacitors to becharged at a fixed voltage and independent of the supply voltage, thevoltage to which the X-ray equipment is connected not mattering in anyway. To said bank of capacitors (49) a power inverter (5) is connected,whose outlet is connected to a step-up transformer (6), these latterbeing governed by a control (11). The X-ray tube (7) is connected to thehigh voltage transformer (6).

It is not considered necessary to make more this description moreextensive in order that any expert in the material may understand thescope of the invention and the advantages arising from it.

The materials, shape, size and layout of the parts will be liable tovariation provided they don't alter essential nature of the invention.

The terms in which this report has been described must always be takenin a broad and non-restrictive sense.

1. An X-Ray device comprising: a) a power supply; b) an AC-DC universalsupply source coupled to said power supply; c) a controlled currentconverter coupled to said universal supply source; d) a capacitor bankcoupled to said controlled circuit converter; e) an inverter coupled tosaid capacitor bank; f) a high voltage transformer coupled to saidinverter; g) a control unit coupled to said inverter wherein saidinverter and said transformer are controlled by said control unit; h) aninput current programmer coupled to said controlled current converterwhich is programmed to prevent dips in a network caused by chargingcapacitors in said capacitor bank as well as overloading of a networksupply connection; i) an input voltage control coupled to saidcontrolled current converter for evaluating an input voltage; j) anauxiliary transformer coupled to said controlled current converter; k) aplurality of relays coupled to said auxiliary transformer; and l) aplurality of auxiliary components coupled to said auxiliary transformer.2. The device as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of auxiliarycomponents comprise a plurality of buckies.
 3. The device as in claim 1,wherein said plurality of auxiliary components comprise at least onebrake.
 4. The device as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of auxiliarycomponents comprise a plurality of collimators coupled to said auxiliarytransformer.
 5. The device as in claim 1, wherein said plurality ofauxiliary components comprise a plurality of ionization chambers coupledto said auxiliary transformer.
 6. The device as in claim 1, wherein saidplurality of auxiliary components comprise an x-ray tube coupled to saidtransformer.
 7. The device as in claim 1, wherein said plurality ofrelays comprise solid state relays.